WIREDGOV

India Buildings, in Liverpool, is a Grade*II listed building and one of the most iconic buildings in the city. In 2017 an extensive refurbishment programme was undertaken to restore the building to its former glory. Completed in August 2021, the 10-storey building is to serve as a regional government hub for around 4,500 civil servants.

Listed Restoration Project

The restoration programme involved a significant amount of work, both internally and externally, to provide the 280,000 sq. ft of Grade A office space. Remedial work was required to ensure it was fit to house the new tenant whilst also retaining the distinctive heritage features, including the arcade and lobby interior.

The upgrade involved enhancements to the security at the main and staff entrances to meet the increased occupancy levels and provide secure access to the building.

Secure Entrance Control

To secure and control access to the building, Speed Gates were identified for the main entrance along with the staff entrance. Having provided a similar entrance control solution for ten regional government hubs already, which met the client’s specified performance criteria, Meesons EasyGate SPT Speed Gates was chosen.

Meesons installed 7 lanes, across two banks on either side of the main reception desk, with a further 5 lanes at the staff entrance. In order to manage the high volume of staff and visitors to the building, single-wing lanes were provided to maximise the throughput and reduce any crowding at peak periods. Each bank of Speed Gates consisted of an EA compliant wide access lane suitable for wheelchair access.

“The redevelopment of India buildings has been a huge project to undertake. As a regional hub for such a large number of employees we needed to ensure the smooth flow of people in and out of the building.”

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DELIVERY ( LIVERPOOL REGIONAL CENTRE),
HMRC ESTATES LOCATIONS PROGRAMME

Heritage Aspects

Completing the secure line in the main reception, a cantilever infill barrier was provided to prevent unauthorised users from attempting to gain access by climbing over. At 1500mm high, the glass wings and balustrade glazing was selected to act as a deterrent to intruders.

Due to the heritage aspects of India buildings, that had to be protected as part of the listed building consent, the Speed Gates needed to be in keeping with the architecture of the building but still provide the necessary level of security required. Meesons worked closely with Falconer Chester Hall Architects to deliver a solution that gave the appearance that the gates had always been there.

Rectangular designed Speed Gates were provided with a steel top lid, which was all finished in a special powder coated heritage bronze to blend in with the existing architecture. Finishing details on the cantilever glass balustrade and the remote-control panels located on the reception desk were also finished in the same heritage bronze powder coating. Finally, to preserve the historic marble flooring an alternative method of securing the lanes to the floor was deployed.

Security Speed Gates

"The speed gates play an important role in enabling the flow of people whilst maintaining the security of our colleagues and the building. With such a historic reception area it was critical that the gates complemented the aesthetics of the restored interior. We are delighted with the end result which delivers both security and aesthetics to great effect with the speed gates."

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DELIVERY ( LIVERPOOL REGIONAL CENTRE),
HMRC ESTATES LOCATIONS PROGRAMME

Successful Security Installation

After 4 years and significant remedial works the refurbishment of Liverpool’s landmark India Buildings has been sympathetically restored in line with the architects' original design. It is now ready for a new chapter as a Grade A office space for the city of Liverpool and its new government tenant.

Keeping you Safe and Secure.

Meesons are a leading provider of physical entrance control solutions with a track record of exceeding customers' expectations and delivering quality security systems to highly demanding environments. With a long- established nationwide and international presence, we are trusted by a large number of prestigious companies for our market-leading solutions installed in many iconic buildings and locations. Meesons are recognised as an entrance control innovator, pushing the boundaries of security and aesthetics with finishes that can be personalised to suit clients' needs. We work hand-in-hand with each and every customer to create an entrance control solution that meet their organisations’ requirements.

Click here to view and download the full India Buidings case study on our website.

Alternatively, Visit Our Company Profile on Wired Gov to find out more.